The Cheapest Ways to Move Cross-Country in 2022

Cheapest Ways to Move Across the Country

There are three main ways to move across the country. Your options include a full-service move, moving container service, or DIY move with a rental truck. Here’s how they compare:

As you can see, the cheapest way to move across the country is to rent a moving truck and manage your move on your own. The next cheapest option is to work with a moving container company. Of course, these options aren’t feasible for everyone. The good news is that many full-service moves offer flexible service plans, so you can find the best balance between convenience and cost.

The Most Affordable Cross-Country Movers

If you’re moving to the opposite side of the country, finding an affordable moving company is the easiest and most effective way to lower the cost of your move. But with so many movers operating throughout the country, how can you possibly know that you’re working with the best possible team? We’ve researched hundreds of licensed and certified moving companies to find the most trusted, best performing and highest-rated cheap cross-country movers in the industry:

1. International Van Lines

International Van Lines is one of the best moving companies for both local and long-distance moves in Nebraska. They operate across all 50 states and are consistently recognized for their excellent customer service and attention to detail in their work. With a work rate exceeding 20,000 moves per year, you can trust that this mover is experienced in every facet of residential moving. They can assist you with everything from full-service packing and custom crating to storage, car shipping, and more.

IVL Cost

• 1 Bedroom: $2,000 to $5,000
• 2 Bedroom: $2,400 to $5,400
• 3 Bedroom: $4,300 to $7,300
• 4 Bedroom: $6,200 to $9,200

2. Allied Van Lines

Allied Van Lines has over 85 years of experience in the moving industry. Offering local, long-distance, and international moving services, they are fully equipped to help you with your relocation. Plus, with add-on options like packing and storage, Allied allows you to pay for only what you need. Plus, 24/7 customer service is available to help streamline the process and answer any questions you may have.

AVL Cost

• 1 Bedroom: $2,500 to $4,500
• 2 Bedroom: $4,400 to $7,400
• 3 Bedroom: $7,650 to $9,500
• 4 Bedroom: $10,900 to $13,900

3. North American Van Lines

With more than 500 facilities in the US and more than eight decades of experience, North American Van Lines is a strong leader in the moving industry. While they’re best known for long-distance moves and international moves, they provide local moving services as well. Along with their extensive add-on services, they provide extra insurance options to protect your goods.

NAVL Cost

• 1 Bedroom: $2,500 to $4,500
• 2 Bedroom: $4,400 to $7,400
• 3 Bedroom: $7,650 to $9,500
• 4 Bedroom: $10,900 to $13,900

4. U-Pack

U-Pack is a leading self-service mover, offering high quality portable storage containers. With 240 service centers throughout the US, they can help you move long-distance anywhere in the country. Their size options ranging from 8 to 27 feet can accommodate moving needs for homes of almost any size, while three-day loading and unloading windows add flexibility for you.

U-Pack Cost

• 1 Bedroom: $1,500 to $2,000
• 2 Bedroom: $2,100 to $3,100
• 3 Bedroom: $3,100 to $4,100
• 4 Bedroom: $4,100 to $5,100

5. PODS

PODS is a moving container company available for local and long-distance moving needs throughout most of the US. They can help you relocate wherever you need to go. Three container size options are available to move anything from a small apartment to a two-bedroom home. You can also rent multiple containers to accommodate larger moves. The 30-day use period that comes with each container rental also makes for a more relaxed moving experience.

PODS Cost

• 1 Bedroom: $1,600 to $2,100
• 2 Bedroom: $2,200 to $3,200
• 3 Bedroom: $3,200 to $4,200
• 4 Bedroom: $4,200 to $5,200

Cost Factors for Cross-Country Moving

The average cost of a long-distance move in the United States is $4,890 for a 2-bedroom home. However, the price that you’ll pay for your move will vary depending on a wide range of factors. Some of the factors that may influence the price of your move include.

• Type of moving company: As we’ve discussed, full-service moving companies can offer you a wider range of options to make your move easier. However, these options come with an higher price tag. If you schedule storage or packing services with your moving company, for instance, you’ll pay more for your move. Completing a DIY move with your friends and family members will be the cheapest way to move cross-country, but the process can be very time-consuming and physically demanding.
• Moving distance: If you’re traveling further away from your current location, your moving company will need to budget for things like gas, toll charges and even lodging expenses for drivers. Expect to pay more for your move if you have a longer distance to travel.
• Shipment weight: When you have more items to move, your mover will need to bring additional moving professionals and will have to use more gas. If you have many boxes or a range of heavy objects that you want to bring to your new property, you can expect to pay more for your moving services.
• Your moving date: The time of year that you move can affect the price that you pay for your moving service. The busy season for professional movers usually lasts from April to September. If you’re moving within this period, expect to pay more for your move.

Ultimately, the best way to learn more about what you can expect to pay for your move is by getting a free moving quote from multiple companies in your area.

What to Look for in the Best Cheap Cross-Country Moving Service

When searching for a cross-country moving company, it’s important to know how to discern the best from the rest. Here are some tips to help you find the right choice for your needs and budget:

The Basics

Here are some of the most basic things to look for in a quality mover:

• Care with your things: The last thing you want to add onto the stress of moving to a new town or city is the hassle of having your things arrive to your new home broken. Be sure to choose a company that takes price in their work and that is always careful with your things.
• License: Depending on where you live, your moving team will likely need to be registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) before they can complete long-distance moving jobs. We searched out companies with full accreditation that have been issued a USDOT number when choosing which options to recommend to you.
• Reliability: Your time is valuable. When thinking about which moving companies we wanted to recommend, we took reliability and reputation into account. If a moving company has a reputation for showing up late or failing to provide the services laid out in their contracts, we moved onto other options.
• Price: In a guide detailing the best cheap cross-country movers, it’s impossible not to take price into consideration when selecting recommended providers.
• Efficiency: No matter if you’re moving to begin a new job or start college at a new school, efficiency when moving is important. We chose moving companies with reputations for arriving on-time or ahead of schedule.
• Recommendations: Though the internet can be a fantastic resource to find everything from books to rental companies, it isn’t always the most trustworthy place when it comes to reviews. The best recommendation always comes from someone that you know personally. Consider asking friends, family members and coworkers if they’ve worked with professional movers in the past.
• Service area: If you’re moving a significant distance away from where you currently live, be sure to ask each moving company that you’re considering working with about their service area. Depending on the moving company you work with, your movers may apply increased rates for very long distance moving tasks.
• Customer testimonials: No one wants to work with a company that adds last-minute fees onto their list of moving expenses or that shows up to their house three hours after they said they would. Be sure to review a few customer testimonials before you choose a moving company.

Compare Multiple Companies

One of the easiest ways to save money on your move is by comparing multiple moving companies. Every moving company uses its own set of criteria to determine how much you’ll pay for your move, which can vary significantly. This makes it possible to find the exact same moving services from 10 different moving companies at 10 completely different price points.

Thankfully, it’s easy to compare moving company prices. Most moving companies will be happy to provide you with a free quote online or over the phone. We recommend contacting at least three moving companies in your area to compare quotes before booking. Remember, the more quotes you get, the wider sample range you’ll have, which will make it easier to see find the cheapest option.

Consider Service Options Carefully

Before you decide which moving company you want to work with, you should think about which services are a must and which would just be nice to have. While the easiest moves come with full-service moving companies, these companies also tend to charge the highest rates.

The cheapest way to move across the country is to do it all yourself, but that’s not possible for everyone. There are many situations when completing a DIY moving team might not be an option. Some examples could include the following.

• You’re moving with an older family member: Moving can be especially difficult for older family members, who might be more prone to hernias, muscle strains and other common moving injuries.
• You don’t have a driver’s license: Renting a moving truck doesn’t give you a free pass to drive without a license. If you haven’t yet learned to drive or your license is currently suspended and you cannot have a friend or family member drive the moving truck, you’ll need to choose a different type of moving company.
• You just don’t have enough time to handle your move on your own: Movers are experts in getting you out of your home and into your new property quickly and efficiently. If you’re on a very limited time frame for your move (for example, if you’re starting at a new job on short notice), you might want to choose a partial or full-service moving company.

It can be a good idea to make a list of the things you absolutely must have your movers handle on your behalf before comparing moving companies. This helps ensure that you don’t sign a contract with a company that doesn’t offer what you need.

Consider a Moving Container Service

Working with a company that provides you with pod service is an easy way to move your things without spending hours on the road. After making an appointment for a moving date, your container service provider will deliver a container to your home. You’ll then load all of your things into the container. The container company will take care of shipping your container to your new property, where you’ll unload your things.

Container services can provide you with an easy way to lower your moving costs without the need for a truck rental. Still, you’ll be responsible for handling the loading and unloading process yourself.

Be Wary of “Too Good To Be True” Pricing

Everyone loves saving money, and no one wants to spend more on their cross-country move than they absolutely have to. When comparing moving companies, however, don’t let rock-bottom prices be the only deciding factor when it comes to choosing a company. The cheapest option may not always be the best option when it comes to selecting a professional moving company.

After collecting multiple quotes, you might find that one company is charging significantly less than competitors in your area. While it might be tempting to hire this company on the spot, suspiciously low rates are a common signal that there may be a moving scam operating in your city. We’ll go over a few more red flags for moving scams in later sections, but remember what mom always said: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Reducing the Cost of Your Cross-Country Move

Beyond choosing the cheapest mover, there are a few steps that you can take to lower the price of your cross-country move:

• Downsize. One of the largest factors that moving companies consider when they issue you a moving quote is the total weight of your shipment. This means that if you have things in your home that you aren’t completely in love with, you’re often better off hosting a yard sale or selling these items on a site like Craigslist before you move. This is especially true if you’re moving a long distance and you aren’t sure if you want to bring your current set of furniture along with you. If you don’t want to go through the hassle of organizing a yard sale, you might also want to consider donating your used items to an organization like the Salvation Army.
• Be Flexible With Your Moving Date. The moving industry has an “off-season” that you can take advantage of to lower your moving costs. Though you cannot always adjust the month of your move, consider coordinating your move on a weekday or between the months of September and March.
• Do Everything You Can On Your Own. The more work you can handle yourself, the less you’ll have to pay for a mover to do it. Consider hosting a “moving party” to connect with friends and family members that you might be separated from after you move. During your party, order in food and drinks and work together to pack boxes, label everything and strategize for your upcoming move. With a little effort and planning, you can turn a set of chores into a bonding opportunity for you and your loved ones.
• Purchase Packing Supplies in Advance. Moving companies often charge a premium for supplies. You can save money by purchasing them elsewhere or seeking out free options. Create a complete list of packing supplies that you’ll need before you begin packing. Search for things like cardboard boxes and packing tape in your own home before you buy it or ask family members or friends if you can borrow packing supplies from them. Consider asking local business owners for their leftover boxes as well.
• Ask Your Employer for Assistance. If you’re moving for a new job, don’t be afraid to ask your employer for financial assistance. Many employers are more than happy to help with advances or grants for moving supplies and other services necessary to get you into your new home with time to spare.

Red Flags to Watch Out For

When you need to move quickly and with limited costs, it can be tempting to choose the most affordable company that you find. Unfortunately, the cheapest company often isn’t the best option—especially when you consider how prevalent moving scams have become.

No one wants to believe that they would ever become the victim of a moving scam. However, the truth is that anyone can become a victim. According to research from the Better Business Bureau, these unscrupulous movers can hold your things “hostage,” forcing you to pay high fees to get your things back.

When comparing moving companies, be sure to keep your eyes out for these common red flags of moving scams:

• Companies that offer rates that seem to be significantly lower than competitors
• Moving companies that answer the phone in an unprofessional manner
• Movers that demand a large down payment in cash on the day of your move
• Movers that claim they can only accept payment in cash or using a peer-to-peer transfer app
• Moving companies that are new to the area or that seem to have no testimonials
• Companies that are not BBB accredited

Additionally, you should look for testimonials on third-party websites instead of only on the mover’s website. Legitimate reviews mention specific aspects of the move that they appreciated or did not appreciate. Be wary of generic, overly positive reviews. Companies have been known to pad their own online ratings with fake testimonials.

What to Expect When Moving Across the Country

Here’s what you can expect when moving across the country:

Expectations For Your Moving Team

If this is your first time moving, you might not know what to expect from your movers when they arrive at your space. We selected our recommended movers because they fulfil the following expectations.

• Provide you with an in-person estimate before you sign a contract
• Are upfront and honest about the difference between binding and non-binding estimates
• Offer you proof of local and federal licensure and regulation status upon request
• Are careful and courteous with your possessions
• Provide you with a time or time frame for pickup and drop-off periods
• Offer competitive pricing when compared with other moving companies in your area
• Offer a quick and easy moving quote process
• Have years of experience and overall general positive sentiments in your community

Expectations Your Movers Will Have For You

If you’re looking for the cheapest way to move cross-country, you probably won’t be paying the extra cash needed for a full-service moving company. Because of this, your mover will have a few expectations for you on and before moving day, including the following.

• Have everything packed and ready to go by the time the movers arrive at your space
• Label all of your boxes with contents and clearly mark fragile items
• Keep young children and pets out of the way and in a safe area while movers are doing their job
• Help them arrive to an organized and clean space to make moving easier
• Provide them with a final drop off location for your things
• Provide them with information on local parking regulations and rules prior to the date of your move

In addition, your movers will expect you to be upfront and honest about the things you’ve packed. Be sure to ask your movers about any items they cannot carry or provide valuation coverage for before your move.

Get Free Moving Quotes

We hope this guide to the cheapest way to move cross-country has helped you find the best option for your needs. While there are plenty of ways to save money when moving, you also need to leave yourself plenty of time to do your research. Start by using our list of trusted movers and keep your wits about you when comparing quotes. Here are some of the best cheap cross-country moving companies: